Visited a couple of the old tobacco factories in New Orleans

[ZachS]

My wife and I went to New Orleans this weekend to run the Saints Kickoff 5K. We decided to stay in a hotel Friday night because the run was early Saturday morning. It just so happened that the hotel she picked was right next to two of the old tobacco factories.



W. R. Irby branch of Liggett & Myers (Red Sun, Coupon, Victory, etc). The building dates to 1882 when it was the La Belle Creole Cigar and Tobacco Company. It was later bought by William Ratcliffe Irby. Here's what it used to look like and what it looks like now. The building currently houses a law office and the Austrian consulate.









People's Tobacco (Mino, Kotton, Virginia Extra). This building is a warehouse or something now. All the windows are blacked out. I couldn't find a picture of what it looked like back in the day.



In this one you can see the close proximity of the two buildings. The brown building to the right is People's Tobacco and the old W.R. Irby building is all the way to the left.

[bobbvc]

Great photos! Thanks.

[batsballsbases]

Thanks for the pics Zach!

[Luke]

Very cool Zach! Thanks for sharing.

[ZachS]

We always end up in New Orleans on the weekend so some stuff is closed. Part of the old People's Tobacco building has a Tchoupitoulas Public Parking sign on it and I'm hoping that if I go down there during the week at some point that it might be open. I'd like to be able to walk around inside to check it out.

This is the Sanborn map showing the layout of the old People's Tobacco building(s).



Current Google Maps view (blue outline shows the 2 long buildings that are now Tchoupitoulas Public Parking).



View of the building from Tchoupitoulas Street (around the corner from the brown warehouse part)

[packs]

Very cool. I had a great time when I visited NO but was only in the French Quarter.

[ZachS]

It's really a great city (to visit... but I don't think I'd want to live there). We live about 45 minutes away and go there for one reason or another at least once a month. I have a membership to the WWII Museum and my wife has one for her and the kids to the Audubon Zoo and the aquarium. We like to stay a night at different hotels every few weekends and bring the kids.

The only time I go into the Quarter is when my buddy comes home from the Army and we go to a Saints game. We usually bar hop before the game.

[thisisradioclash]

Very cool idea! I used to live in New Orleans (and I'm trying to move back soon), and I never even thought about visiting the old tobacco warehouses. Let us know if you can get inside someday!

[Leon]

Thanks for sharing, Zach. Looks like you had a fun time. Those are great before and after pictures. It seems whomever renovated the Irby Building at least kept the same theme. Here are a few pouches, and although shown a few times before, are scarce and apropos. I should add that it is my belief the Mino is circa 1920s and the Kotton is circa 1910s..

[Jobu]

I lived in New Orleans for a decade - just moved to Milwaukee two weeks ago. It never occurred to me to try and track these places down. Very cool Zach, thanks for posting this (even if you are two weeks late!). I will definitely add these stops to my trip the next time I go back to visit my friends.

[ZachS]

Originally Posted by Jobu

II will definitely add these stops to my trip the next time I go back to visit my friends.

I think there are only 3 locations left that had ties to the distribution of baseball cards. The 2 tobacco factories listed above and General Baking Co. (Mothers' Bread).

The old H. Weil Baking building is gone... there is a bank where it used to stand. The old Tango Eggs building was demolished. It was where the W Hotel New Orleans is now at the corner of Poydras and Tchoupitoulas.

The old General Baking building is a school now and is located at 517 Soraparu Street. I haven't stopped by there yet to take pictures but here are some before and after photos:

[skooter]

Thanks for the great photos and research. I lived in New Orleans for 63 years.
Great city, but many problems. Living in Picayune, MS since Katrina, but I get back whenever I can. I really appreciate your "Louisiana Cards" site. Thanks, and keep up the good work.

[buymycards]

Thanks for the photos, Zack. I haven't been to Louisiana in two years and your pictures have me itching to go back. I had planned a trip for next February but I just found out that I won't be able to get away from work for most of February. Thinking seriously about retiring and moving to New Orleans.

Rick

[Kawika]

This is a first class thread, Zach. Brings things to life. Thank you for your efforts.